This invention is in the field of poultry processing apparatus and methods and is more specifically directed to a unique apparatus and method for effecting the removal of ingesta or fecal matter from the intestines of all types of poultry so as to avoid contamination externally of the poultry and, especially of the abdominal cavity.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued regulations for poultry processing plants for the purpose of insuring the public health and welfare with these regulations being enforced by a federal inspection on a continuouses and regular basis. One substantial problem in the processing of poultry arises from the fact that the digestive tract organs are sometimes cut or other wise opened during the eviscerating process so that the ingesta or feces contents are released in the abdominal cavity of the bird to completely contaminate the interior of the cavity. Prior to the present invention there was no satisfactory way for insuring that there would be no contamination in the event an undesirable tearing accident to the intestines resulting in contamination after such an accident. Any contaminated bird or parts thereof are immediately condemned for human consumption and is then normally converted into pet food or the like at substantial loss.
While various devices have been proposed in the past for the purpose of cleaning the abdominal cavity following contamination resultant from rupture of the abdominal organs, none of the prior known devices has proven to be satisfactory and the Department of Argiculture has for the most part properly deferred to approve the usage of such devices on poultry destined for human consumption.
Consequently, the present invention deals not with devices to cleanse an already contaminated abdominal poultry cavity, but rather to manipulate the poultry in a manner by employing unique apparatus whereby contamination is either completely obviated or highly diminished should there be an accident to the intestines.
The nexus of the invention deals with means and method for unloading the intestines through its anus, that is, in a normal way, prior to evisceration. It is understood that some poultry raisers have attempted to permit the live poultry to unload ingesta and feces by terminating feeding for a period of time prior to slaughter. This is unsatisfactory as the poultry may have a lessened acceptable weight.